Copyright Ernsperger Reactive Programs Module Fourteen

Copyright Ernsperger

Reactive Programs

Module Fourteen


Review

• Compliance training

• Non-compliance is a learned behavior

• Forced choices and choice-making skills

• High probability vs. low probability demands

• Behavioral momentum

• Teach receptive instructions


Reactive Programming:Cautions

• A reactive system has little incentive to be proactive because positive outcomes do not create noise.

• Reactive programs are most concerned about their problematic students.

• Reactive programs wait for the behavior to occur and our usually in a crisis mode


“When a Student can’t read……..we teach them.

When a Student can’t tie their shoes……we teach them

When a Student can’t multiply…….. we teach them

When a Student can’t name all of the states and capitals…….

we teach themWhen a Student can’t behave…….

we punish them.”


Reactive Programs

• Extinction• Response-Cost• Selectively reinforce alternative behavior• Aversives and Punishment• Crisis management plan


Reactive Programs

• Keep in the present• Progress will be negligible if you are not working

within the child’s best interest• Ask yourself- “What are my intentions”

– Is it to punish?– Is it to be authoritative?

• A reactive plan must be consistently implemented


Extinction

• “Ignore it and it will go away”

• Extinction is the elimination of reinforcement for the target behavior in order to extinguish the problem behavior

• Extinction may not include ignoring– Some behaviors can not be ignored

• Effective if the function is Attention

• TB becomes worse before it gets better


Extinction

• Extinction must be planned, may produce aggression

• In some cases minimal attention must be given:– Calm and neutral voice– Little or no eye contact– Minimal physical restraint– Reduce but not eliminate demands


Extinction

• Not all behaviors will respond to Extinction• Always combine with other procedures ie.

skill replacement training and DRO/DRA• Withhold consistently, include all staff and

parents


Selective Reinforcement

• Differential Reinforcement

• Identify the alternative behavior

• Reinforce other students who are displaying the alternative behavior

• Only effective if the student is an observational learner


Resistance to Extinction

• Self-stim and other sensory reinforced behaviors

• Based on the history of reinforcement, the # of times reinforced

• Consistency- include significant others• Schedule opportunities for practice


Response-Cost

• The removal of reinforcement contingent upon the problem behavior

• Loss of a preferred activity or reinforcement• Effect will show quickly (3-5 days)• Combine with a token economy• Increased aggression or stress• COMPUTER


Time-Out Procedures

• Timeout.com

• Time Out From Reinforcement


Punishment: Time-Out

• Withdrawal of the opportunity to earn reinforcement

• Determine the function• If the function is escape, then time-out is

reinforcement• Is rarely an effective strategy for long term

change


Time-Out

• Consider other options

• Determine placement of TO

• Define B leading to TO

• Explain the TO rules

• Apply consistently

• Create reinforcing environment

• Evaluate effectiveness


Crisis Management

• Underlying philosophy of the team should consist of:– Providing a supportive and tolerant

environment– Fair, realistic and secure– Treats students with respect– Everybody assumes responsibility


Crisis Management Plan

• Cycle of Crisis– Calm– Trigger– Irritable, frustrated, anxious– Peak, tantrum, SIB– De-escalation– Recovery


Back to School Idea: Triggers

• Identify a list of triggers for each student and include in the student profile. Write a “worst case scenario” for each student.

• List all environmental and physiological triggers that would initiate a problem behaviors.


Back to School Idea:Crisis Plan

• Remain calm• Treat the student with respect• Decrease verbal language and increase visual supports• Encourage stress reduction techniques:

– Checklists (Cognitive Behavior Therapy)

• Minimize demands without allowing complete escape: Compliance training– High Probability demands

• Identify Home Base• Practice, Practice


Reactive Programming

• Reactive techniques and punishment should not be used in isolation but combined with other behavioral change procedures

• FAIR-PAIR Rule: choose two or more alternative proactive programs for every reactive technique


Pearls of Wisdom

You can’t discipline out a disability,

but….

You can teach a new ability!

Brenda, OH

Documents

Copyright Ernsperger Reactive Programs Module Fourteen